USPTO Patents Application 09557738

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UTILITY PATEI^KJPPLICATION TRANSMITTAL

(New Nonpro visional Applications Under 37 CFR § 1.53(b))

A

Attorney Docket 'No.
1018.097US1

TO THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS:

: 2 Transmitted herewith is the patent application of ( ) application identifier or (X) first named inventor, Kevin B. Gjerstadn
! O entitled Common Text Framework , for a(n):

(X) Original Patent Application.

( ) Continuing Application (prior application not abandoned).

( ) Continuation ( ) Divisional ( ) Continuation-in-part (CIP)

of prior application No: . Filed on: .

( ) A statement claiming priority under 35 USC § 120 has been added to the specification.

CO

0

Enclosed are:
(X)
(X)

Specification; 26 Total Pages.

(X) Drawing(s); _j_ Total Sheets.

Oath or Declaration:

(X) A Newly Executed Combined Declaration and Power of Attorney:

( ) Signed. (X) Unsigned. ( ) Partially Signed.

( ) A Copy from a Prior Application for Continuation/Divisional (37 CFR § 1.63(d)).

( ) Incorporation by Reference The entire disclosure of the prior application, from which a copy of the
oath or declaration is supplied, is considered as being part of the disclosure of the accompanying
application and is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
( ) Signed Statement Deleting Inventor(s) Named in the Prior Application. (37 CFR § 163(d)(2)),
Power of Attorney. (X) Return Receipt Postcard.

Associate Power of Attorney. ( ) A Check in the amount of $ for the Filing Fee.

Preliminary Amendment. ( ) Information Disclosure Statement and Form PTO- 1 449 .

A Duplicate Copy of this Form for Processing Fee Against Deposit Account.
A Certified Copy of Priority Documents (if foreign priority is claimed).
Statement(s) of Status as a Small Entity.

Statement(s) of Status as a Small Entity Filed m Prior Application, Status Still Proper and Desired.
Patent application data entry sheets for OCR.

CLAIMS AS FILED

FOR

NO. FILED

NO. EXTRA

RATE

FEE

Total Claims

22

2

$18.00

$ 36.00

Independent Claims

4

1

$78.00

$ 78.00

Multiple Dependent Claims (if applicable)

$0.00

Assignment Recording Fee

$0.00

Basic Filing Fee

S690.00

Total Filing Fee

S 804.00

Charge

_ to Deposit Account .

_ pursuant to 37 CFR § 1 .25. At any time during the pendency

of this application, please charge any fees required or credit any overpayment to this Deposit Account
Respectfully submitted

By:

Mi

Date: 4/25/2000

torney of Record, Reg. No. 39,662

Correspondence Address:

Law Offices of Michael Dryja
704 228 th Ave PMB 694
Redmond, WA 98053
Phone: 425.427.5094
Fax: 206.374.2819

I hereby certify that this is being deposited with the U.S. Postal
Service "Express Mail Post Office to Addressee" service under
37 CFR § 1.10 on the date indicated below and is addressed to:

Assistant Commissioner for Patents
Box Patent Application
Washington, D.C. 20J21

By:

Typed Name: Michael Dryja

Express Mail Label No.: EJ243665051US

Date of Deposit: 4/25/2000

23441

PATENT TRADEMARK OFFICE

Inventor Information

Inventor One Given Name::
Fami ly Name : :
Postal Address Line One::
City: :

State or Province::
Postal or Zip Code::
Citizenship Country: :

Inventor Two Given Name : :
Family Name: :
Postal Address Line One::
City: :

State or Province::
Postal or Zip Code::
Citizenship Country: :

Inventor Three Given Name : :
Family Name : :
Postal Address Line One: :
City: :

State or Province: :
Postal or Zip Code::
Citizenship Country: :

Inventor Four Given Name : :
Family Name: :
Postal Address Line One::
City: :

State or Province::
Postal or Zip Code::
Citizenship Country: :

Kevin B .

Gjerstad

2114 North 75th

Seattle

WA

98103
US

Yutaka
Naka j ima

14013 180th Ave NE

Redmond

WA

98052
Japanese

Yutaka
Suzue

3845 260th Ave SE

Issaquah

WA

98029
Japanese

Benjamin M.
Westbrook

4631 148 Ave NE #QQ202

Bellevue

WA

98007
US

Correspondence Information

Correspondence Customer Number: : 23441

Telephone:: (425) 427-5094

Fax:: (206) 374-2819

Electronic Mail One:: mike@dryjapat.com

Electronic Mail Two:: sherry@dryja.com

1

Application Information

Title Line One::
Total Drawing Sheets::
Formal Drawings? : :
Application Type::
Docket Number: :

Common Text Framework
5

Yes

Utility
1018.097US1

Representative Information

Registration Number One:: 39,662

Registration Number Two:: 32,62 8

Registration Number Three:: 32,022

2

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COMMON TEXT FRAMEWORK

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to applications having documents of primarily
text and input (and other) devices for inserting and modifying text within such
documents, and more particularly to a common text framework for such applications and
such devices to interact with one another.

A common application today is the entering, editing and manipulation of text.
Application programs that perform such text operation include word processors, text
editors, and even spreadsheets and presentation programs. For example, a word
processor allows a user to enter text to prepare documents such as letters, reports, memos,
etc. Other application programs include e-mail application programs, web browser
application programs, etc.

While the keyboard has historically been the standard input device by which text
input is performed into these type of application programs, it is currently being
augmented and/or replaced by other types of input devices. For example, touch-sensitive
pads can be "written" on with a stylus, such that a handwriting recognition program can
be used to input the resulting characters into a program. As another example, voice-
recognition programs, which work in conjunction with microphones attached to
computers, also are becoming more popular. Especially for non-English language users,
these non-keyboard type devices are popular for initially inputting text into programs,
such that they can then be edited by the same device, or other devices like the keyboard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1

A difficulty with the use of such input devices to input text into such programs is
that there is no common mechanism by which to manage the text that these devices
produce. Input device manufacturers, for example, develop drivers for the devices that
output text in different ways, and thus interface with application programs in different
ways. Application programs as well receive text input in different manners. Furthermore,
within the prior art, input device drivers are one-way: they can only inject text into a
document, and not, for example, view the text already within the document, which
prevents them to some extent from having better accuracy in the text that they generate.

For these and other reasons, therefore, there is a need for the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a common text framework for applications having text-
oriented documents, and input devices that generate text for such applications. In one
embodiment, the framework provides for a mechanism through applications and handlers
for input devices can interact, and includes a text store interface and a text input
processor interface. The former interface permits an application having a document of
primarily text to expose the document as an abstraction. The latter interface permits a
handler for an input device to access the abstraction of the document and to insert
additional text into the document. Furthermore, the common text framework allows for
documents that include data other than plain text, such as objects and regions. Thus,
objects can be inserted and queried within the document as well Such objects may
include pictures, handwriting controls, etc.

For the text store interface, in one embodiment, there are two different interfaces
by which an application can expose its document as an abstraction. First, a text stream

interface is provided in which the abstraction of the document appears as an array, where
a position within the document is represented as an offset from the beginning of the array.
Second, a dynamic text interface is provided in which a position within the document is
represented as a floating anchor, such that two anchors can be compared relative to one
5 another, which is useful, for example, for applications that store documents internally in a
tree-type format.

For the text input processor interface, in one embodiment, there is a range object
in which a range within the document is specified as two positions within the abstraction
of the document. The handler thus inserts additional text into the document and accesses

% 1 0 the abstraction of the document at the range specified by the range obj ect. In addition,
this interface permits the handler to attach a property or mark-up to the document at the

3 ' range specified by the range obj ect, which can then be persisted by the application, if
desired.

: - Embodiments of the invention provide for advantages not found within the prior

\ \ .: 1 5 art. Significantly, all application programs expose their documents in a similar manner to
;;J the common text framework, and, similarly, all handlers for input devices interact with

the framework in a similar manner. This means that any application program developed
to expose its document as an abstraction to the common text framework, and any input
device for which a handler is developed to access and inject text in a manner consistent

tit

20 with the framework, can be used with each other. Thus, an application program does not
have to be hard coded to recognize new types of input devices; likewise, handlers for
input devices do not have to be aware of each type of application program in which they
will be used to input and access text.

-4*

Other advantages of the invention include bi-directionality, multi-modality, and
mark-up aspects of different embodiments of the invention. With respect to bi-
directionality, it is noted that handlers for input devices can access text within the
abstractions of documents exposed to the framework as well as inject text thereinto. For

5 example, having some knowledge regarding the context into which text is to be inserted
may increase the accuracy of such text for handwriting and voice recognition
applications, which is advantageous as compared to the prior art. With respect to multi-
modality, different input devices can be used simultaneously to enter and edit text within
a document. And with respect to mark-up, by attaching properties to ranges of text

10 within the document, handlers for input devices allow, for example, for information such
as handwriting and voice recognition data to be persisted with the document in instances.
Thus, where a user later goes back to edit a passage of text previously input by
handwriting or voice, the original raw data can still be present, such that editing
performance and accuracy can be better achieved as compared to the prior art.

1 5 Furthermore, in one embodiment, the common text framework allows for

applications to expose additional context on streams or ranges of text. For example, a
calendar application may place a "date" property on a given text field, or a word
processor may expose a "legal" term to indicate a particular legal lexicon or language
model. Such additional information can then be used by the recognition programs to

20 improve their accuracy.

The invention includes computer-implemented methods, machine-readable media,
computerized systems, and computers of varying scopes. Other aspects, embodiments

4

and advantages of the invention, beyond those described here, will become apparent by
reading the detailed description and with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an operating environment in conjunction with which
5 embodiments of the invention can be practiced;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram of a text-oriented document in conjunction with which
embodiments of the invention can be practiced;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a pictorial representation of a first type of interface by
10 which applications can expose their documents as abstractions, according to an
embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a pictorial representation of a second type of interface by
which applications can expose their documents as abstractions, according to an
embodiment of the invention;
1 5 FIG. 6 is a diagram of a pictorial representation of an interface by which input

device handlers can access and insert text of and into documents, according to an
embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a pictorial representation of the interface of FIG. 6 in which
the handlers can additionally attach properties to documents, according to an embodiment
20 of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

5

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and m which
is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention
5 may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those
skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other
embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, electrical and other changes
may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The
following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the
10 scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented in terms of
algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer
memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those
skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work
15 to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-
consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring
physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these
quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,
transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated.
20 It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to

refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the
like. It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be
associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels

6

applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the
following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present invention, discussions
utilizing terms such as processing or computing or calculating or determining or
displaying or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar
electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as
physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into
other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system
memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

Operating Environment

Referring to FIG. 1, a diagram of the hardware and operating environment in
conjunction with which embodiments of the invention may be practiced is shown. The
description of FIG. 1 is intended to provide a brief, general description of suitable
computer hardware and a suitable computing environment in conjunction with which the
invention may be implemented. Although not required, the invention is described in the
general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being
executed by a computer, such as a personal computer. Generally, program modules
include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform
particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.

Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be
practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices,
multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,
network PC's, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may
also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by

7

remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a
distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and
remote memory storage devices.

The exemplary hardware and operating environment of FIG. 1 for implementing
the invention includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer 20,
including a processing unit 21, a system memory 22, and a system bus 23 that operatively
couples various system components include the system memory to the processing unit 21 .
There may be only one or there may be more than one processing unit 21, such that the
processor of computer 20 comprises a single central-processing unit (CPU), or a plurality
of processing units, commonly referred to as a parallel processing environment. The
computer 20 may be a conventional computer, a distributed computer, or any other type
of computer; the invention is not so limited.

The system bus 23 may be any of several types of bus structures including a
memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a
variety of bus architectures. The system memory may also be referred to as simply the
memory, and includes read only memory (ROM) 24 and random access memory (RAM)
25. A basic input/output system (BIOS) 26, containing the basic routines that help to
transfer information between elements within the computer 20, such as during start-up, is
stored in ROM 24. The computer 20 further includes a hard disk drive 27 for reading
from and writing to a hard disk, not shown, a magnetic disk drive 28 for reading from or
writing to a removable magnetic disk 29, and an optical disk drive 30 for reading from or
writing to a removable optical disk 31 such as a CD ROM or other optical media.

8

The hard disk drive 27, magnetic disk drive 28, and optical disk drive 30 are
connected to the system bus 23 by a hard disk drive interface 32, a magnetic disk drive
interface 33, and an optical disk drive interface 34, respectively. The drives and their
associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable
5 instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer 20. It

should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any type of computer-readable media
which can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash
memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories
(RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), and the like, may be used in the exemplary
^ 10 operating environment.

!>} A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk, magnetic disk 29,

* 4 optical disk 31, ROM 24, or RAM 25, including an operating system 35, one or more

ih

P application programs 36, other program modules 37, and program data 38. A user may

'f; enter commands and information into the personal computer 20 through input devices

\'t 15 such as a keyboard 40 and pointing device 42. Other input devices (not shown) may
^ include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and

other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 21 through a serial port

interface 46 that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interfaces,
^ such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor 47 or other

20 type of display device is also connected to the system bus 23 via an interface, such as a

video adapter 48. In addition to the monitor, computers typically include other peripheral

output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers.

9

The computer 20 may operate in a networked environment using logical
connections to one or more remote computers, such as remote computer 49. These
logical connections are achieved by a communication device coupled to or a part of the
computer 20; the invention is not limited to a particular type of communications device.
5 The remote computer 49 may be another computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a
client, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all
of the elements described above relative to the computer 20, although only a memory
storage device 50 has been illustrated in FIG. 1. The logical connections depicted in FIG.
1 include a local-area network (LAN) 51 and a wide-area network (WAN) 52. Such

10 networking environments are commonplace in office networks, enterprise-wide computer
networks, intranets and the Internal, which are all types of networks.

When used in a LAN-networking environment, the computer 20 is connected to
the local network 51 through a network interface or adapter 53, which is one type of
communications device. When used in a WAN-networking environment, the computer

15 20 typically includes a modem 54, a type of communications device, or any other type of
communications device for establishing communications over the wide area network 52,
such as the Internet. The modem 54, which may be internal or external, is connected to
the system bus 23 via the serial port interface 46. In a networked environment, program
modules depicted relative to the personal computer 20, or portions thereof, may be stored

20 in the remote memory storage device. It is appreciated that the network connections

shown are exemplary and other means of and communications devices for establishing a
communications link between the computers may be used.

10

Overview

In this section of the detailed description, an overview of the invention in
accordance with one embodiment thereof is presented. In the diagram of FIG. 2, the
system 200 includes a common text framework 202, that provides for interactivity among
5 an application program 204, and input device handlers 208a, 208b, . . 208n. The
application program 204 is a program that has a document of primarily text. Such
programs include, for example, word processors, text editors, as well as spreadsheets,
f presentation managers, etc.; the invention is not so limited. The application program 204

I has a corresponding document 206, and exposes its documents to the framework as an

S i 10 abstraction to the framework 202, as opposed to, for example, the internal representation

M :

W 1

ID l of the document 206.

%{ Input device handlers 208a, 208b, . . 208n are the handlers, also referred to as

Sv processors or drivers, for corresponding input devices 210a, 210b, . . ., 21 On. Such input

devices include, for example, keyboards, touch pads on which text is "written" using a
: ji? 1 5 stylus and then handwriting-recognized by their corresponding handlers, microphones
% into which words are spoken and then voice-recognized by their corresponding handlers,

etc.; the invention is not so limited. Input device handlers 208a, 208b, . . 208n access

the abstractions of the documents and insert additional text into the documents via the

framework 202.

20 It is noted that in one embodiment, device 'drivers are a level below what the

framework is concerned with. That is, drivers still exist for speech or other input devices
or other devices. The handler lies above the device driver. Thus, in this embodiment, the
driver resolves a given hardware input into a kind of text or object, and the handler uses

11

this text or object in conjunction with the framework to insert the text or object into the
document.

Thus, the framework 202 is a mechanism by which application programs and
input devices, through their handles, can interact with one another on a common basis, as
5 is more particularly described in subsequent sections of the detailed description. It is
noted that, as shown in FIG. 2, the framework 202 provides for bi-directionality and
multi-modality - input device handlers, for example, can both retrieve text from
abstractions of documents of the application programs as well as inject text into the
documents, and multiple input devices can inject and edit text into the documents of the

10 application programs. It is also noted that the framework 202 can the only manner by
which input device handlers can interact with applications - that is, except via the
framework 202, no interaction therebetween may be permitted, such as direct interaction
without the use of the framework 202. However, it is noted that the invention itself is not
so limited, and is inclusive of direct interaction as well. Thus, as the particulars of the

1 5 common text framework are described in the subsequent sections of the detailed

description - that is, particularly its various interfaces - it is noted that this limitation is
desirably maintained in one embodiment.

Text Store Interface

In this section of the detailed description, a text store interface, in accordance with
20 which an application program is permitted to expose a document of primarily text to the
common text framework, is described, according to an embodiment of the invention. An
example of text that may be internally stored within a predetermined representation by an
application is shown in the diagram of FIG. 3. The document 300 includes the text "The

12

car goes fast." Embodiments of the invention particularly provide for two manners by
which this text is exposed as an abstraction to the common text framework: via a text
stream interface, and via a dynamic text interface. Each is now described in turn.

The diagram of FIG. 4 shows a pictorial representation of the text stream interface
400. The text stream interface 400 includes two parts: an array 402, and an offset 404.
The array 402 is such that the abstraction of the document appears as an array, as this
data structure is known within the art. Thus, the array 402 includes the text "The car
goes fast." It is noted that the internal representation of this text by an application may
differ from the array 402 - that is, while the document 300 of FIG. 3 appears identical to
the array 402 of FIG. 4, this is an example only, and many application programs store the
internal representation of the document 300 different to that shown as the array 402.
Furthermore, the interface 400 includes a an offset 404 that represents a position within
the document, from the beginning of the array. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the offset 404
represents the position of the location of the character "c" within the array 402.

By comparison, the diagram of FIG. 5 shows a pictorial representation of the
dynamic text interface 500. The dynamic text interface 500 represents positions within a
document as floating anchors to positions within the document, an example of which is
described in the next paragraph, although it is noted that the invention is not so limited to
the description in the next paragraph. In the example of FIG. 5, two particular anchors
are shown - an anchor 502 that references a position within the document that represents
the location of the character "c" within the document, and an anchor 504 that references a
position within the node that represents the location of the character "f ' within the
document.

13

It is noted that a given application program has a choice as to which interface, the
text stream interface of FIG. 4 or the dynamic text interface of FIG. 5, by which to
expose its internally represented text abstractly to the common text framework. Two
different interfaces are provided for, because applications tend to store text m one of two
5 overall ways. First, some documents are stored by their applications as a large array, or
stream, of data. Such applications are likely to use the text stream interface of FIG. 4 to
expose their data. Such applications are permitted to expose the text data "raw," such
that the data may include formatting codes, etc., in addition to the actual text. That is, the
text stream interface accommodates raw data embedded in the stream; however,
10 application programs are free as to whether or not to take advantage of them.

Second, some documents are stored by their applications in a tree-based structure,
which defies easy representation as an array. To prevent such applications from incurring
large overhead in maintaining such the array-oriented representation of the text stream
interface of FIG. 4, these applications are likely to use the dynamic text interface of FIG.
15 5 to expose their data to the framework as an abstraction. In such tree-based structures,
each node of the tree represents one or more characters of text, formatting information,
etc. Thus, the anchors of the dynamic text interface are used to track positions that
correspond to nodes of such structures, for convenience of the applications owning such
documents.

20 Text Input Processor Interface

In this section of the detailed description, a text input processor interface, in
accordance with which a handler for an input device is permitted to access the abstraction
of a document of an application program and is permitted to insert additional text into the

14

document, is described, according to an embodiment of the invention. The diagram of
FIG. 6 shows a pictorial representation of a text input processor interface 600.
Specifically, within the text 602, using the example "The car goes fast." of the previous
section of the detailed description, two range objects 612 and 614 are shown referencing
the text. Each range object specifies a range within the document 602 as two positions,
such that a handle is able to insert additional text into the document 602 and accesses the
abstraction of the document 602 at the range specified by the range object.

For example, the range object 612 references the two positions 604 and 606
within the document 602, to specify a range between the positions 604 and 606
corresponding to the text "The car". Thus, the handler for an input device is able to use
the text input processor interface 600 to access this range of text. This can be used, for
example, so that the handler is able to determine the context of a particular group of text
into which the user is desiring to input further text, so that, for example, the new text can
be more accurately recognized by the handler if input by voice or handwriting
recognition. It is noted that this is advantageous as compared to the prior art, where input
devices are typically not allowed to access text already entered into documents, but only
inject new text thereinto.

As another example, the range object 614 references the two positions 608 and
610 within the document 602, to specify a "range" within the document 602 that has no
width. In this way, the handler for an input device is able to use the text input processor
interface 600 to inject, or insert, new text into the document at this range. Because the
range is in fact a single point within the document, the common text framework knows

15

where to insert text into the document, as can be appreciated by those of ordinary skill
within the art.

In one embodiment, a text insertion point is handled in the following manner.
The handler interface has a method that can be used to retrieve a range matching the
5 location of the selection, where the selection, or insertion point, is a specific property of a
document. The selection may or may not be empty. Thus, it represents the position a
user can expect new text to appear, with the possibility of replacing existing text in the
case of a non-empty selection. The position or length (viz., extent) of a selection can also
be changed via another method in this embodiment.

1 0 Thus, using the range objects of the text input processor interface as represented

pictorially in the diagram of FIG. 6, input device handlers are permitted to access and
inject text of and into a document. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by two
different methods. A first method is provided by the text input processor interface such
that text supplied by the input device handler is inserted by the common text framework

15 into the document at the range specified by the range object. A second method is

provided by the text input processor interface such that the input device handler is able to
request that the common text framework provide it with the text within the range
specified by the range object. It is noted that in one embodiment, the positions specified
within range objects are themselves floating positions, such that as text is entered and

20 deleted, the positions retain their reference to a particular point within the text. That is,
they are not fixed positions within the document.

Referring next to FIG. 7, a diagram of the pictorial representation of the text input
processor interface 600 is shown with an additional feature thereof, the ability to attach

16

properties to ranges within the document. As shown in FIG. 7, the range object 612
specifies a range within the text 602 as to the two positions 604 and 606. To this range of
text, an input device handler has attached a property 700. A property is generally any
type of data that is attached to a specific range by an input device handler, and which can
5 then be persisted by the application owning the document of which the text 602 is a part.
For example, a voice recognition input device handler may have associated information
regarding the recognition of voice that resulted in the entry of the text within the range of
the range object 612. Such information can include what is known in the art as lattice
I information, the original voice recording from which voice recognition was performed,

bi 10 etc. The handler may attach such information to the range, so that if the user later desires

|

if : ;■; to correct text as recognized by the handler from voice data, the handler is able to access

\ i

H the original data and other information used thereby to generate the text. This can

P provide for better and more accurate text correction, for example.

As has been noted, application programs can persist the properties attached to
:■: 15 documents thereof as desired. This may be, for example, a user-selectable option within
- an application program. An application program may desire to persist the properties so

that later re-opening of the document provides the handlers with the information as
described in the previous paragraph. An application program conversely may desire not
to persist the properties if doing so makes the resulting data file overly large by some
20 predetermined measure, such that storage and transmission thereof is inefficient. It is
noted that to the application program, the properties appear as data attached to ranges
within the text. That is, the data may or may not appear as meaningless to the application
program itself, and is likely to be the former, not the latter. Furthermore, as has been

17

noted, the handlers are not confined to input-only handlers. It is also arbitrary as to
whether an application chooses to understand the properties a handler may attach.

In one embodiment, the attachment and access of properties by input device
handlers to ranges of text within an abstraction of a document are again accomplished via
one or more methods of the text input processor interface. Furthermore, specific
properties referred herein as compartments can also be attached to the document, which
reference the entire document generally, and not a specific or particular range thereof.
Finally, in one embodiment, the application programs themselves can attach properties to
their documents and ranges thereof, which can be exposed to the handlers through the
common text framework, for example, to the input device handlers. These properties are
generally referred to herein as modebias properties, although the invention is not so
limited.

Conclusion

A common text framework by which applications and handlers for input devices
can interact. It is noted that in one embodiment, each of the applications and input device
handlers can be implemented as a computer program, executable on a computer as
described previously in conjunction with FIG. 1. Furthermore, in one embodiment, a
machine-readable medium, such as a memory, a removable storage like a CD-ROM or a
floppy disk, a fixed storage like a hard disk drive, etc., has instructions stored thereon for
execution by a processor, such as the computer of FIG. 1, to implement a computer
program to provide the common text framework. Embodiments of the invention can also
encompass systems in accordance with the description of the common text framework
provided in the detailed description.

18

It is also noted that, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and
described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any
arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the
specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or
variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention
be limited only by the claims and equivalents thereof.

19

We claim:

1 . A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a
processor to implement a computer program providing a common text framework
through which applications and handlers for input devices can interact, comprising:

5 a text store interface to permit an application having a document of primarily text to

expose the document as an abstraction; and,

a text input processor interface to permit a handler for an input device to access the
abstraction of the document and to insert additional text into the document.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the text store interface comprises:

10 a text stream interface in which the abstraction of the document appears as an array,

a position within the document represented as an offset from a beginning of the array;
and,

a dynamic text interface in which the abstraction of the document is such that a
position within the document represented as a floating anchor to a node,
15 such that the application selects at least one of the text stream interface and the

dynamic text interface by which to expose the document as the abstraction.

3. The medium of claim 1, wherein the text input processor interface comprises a range
object in which a range within the document is specified as two positions within the
abstraction of the document, such that the handler inserts the additional text into the

20 document and accesses the abstraction of the document at the range specified by the
range object.

20

4. The medium of claim 3, wherein insertion is accomplished via a first method of the
text input processor interface, and the access is accomplished via a second method of the
text input processor interface.

5. The medium of claim 3, wherein the text input processor interface further permits the
5 handler for the input device to attach a property to the document at the range specified by

the range object.

6. The medium of claim 5, wherein attachment is accomplished via a method of the text
input processor interface.

7. A computerized system comprising:

10 a plurality of applications, each application having a document of primarily text;

a plurality of input device handlers, each handler having a corresponding input
device; and,

a framework designed to permit each application to expose the document as an
abstraction, and to permit each handler to access the abstraction of the document of each
15 application and to insert additional text into the document of each application.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the framework comprises:

a text store interface designed to permit each application to expose the document as
an abstraction; and,

a text input processor interface designed to permit each handler to access the

21

abstraction of the document of each application and to insert text into the document of
each application.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the text store interface comprises:

a text stream interface in which the abstraction of the document of an application
appears as an array, a position within the document represented as an offset from a
beginning of the array; and,

a dynamic text interface in which the abstraction of the document is such that a
position within the document represented as a floating anchor to a node,

such that each application selects at least one of the text stream interface and the
dynamic text interface by which to expose the document as the abstraction.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the text input processor interface comprises a range
object in which a range within the document of an application is specified as two
positions within the abstraction of the document, such that the handler inserts the
additional text into the document and accesses the abstraction of the document at the
range specified by the range object.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein insertion is accomplished via a first method of the
text input processor interface, and the access is accomplished via a second method of the
text input processor interface.

22

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the text input processor interface is further designed
to permit the handler for an input device to attach a property to the document of an
application at the range specified by the range object.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein attachment is accomplished via a method of the
5 text input processor interface.

14. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a
processor to implement a computer program providing a common text framework
through which applications and handlers for input devices can interact, comprising:

a text store interface to permit an application having a document of primarily text to
10 expose the document as an abstraction, the text store interface comprising:

a text stream interface in which the abstraction of the document appears as an
array, a position within the document represented as an offset from a beginning of the
array; and,

a dynamic text interface in which the abstraction of the document is such that a
1 5 position within the document represented as a floating anchor to a node,

such that the application selects at least one of the text stream interface and the
dynamic text interface by which to expose the document as the abstraction.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the framework further comprises a text input
processor interface to permit a handler for an input device to access the abstraction of the

20 document and to insert additional text into the document.

23

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the text input processor interface comprises a range
object in which a range within the document is specified as two positions within the
abstraction of the document, such that the handler inserts the additional text into the
document and accesses the abstraction of the document at the range specified by the
range object.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein insertion is accomplished via a first method of the
text input processor interface, and the access is accomplished via a second method of the
text input processor interface.

18. The medium of claim 16, wherein the text input processor interface further permits
the handler for the input device to attach a property to the document at the range specified
by the range object.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein attachment is accomplished via a method of the
text input processor interface.

20. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a
processor to implement a computer program providing a common text framework
through which applications and handlers for input devices can interact, comprising:

a text input processor interface to permit a handler for an input device to access an
abstraction of a document of mostly text of an application and to insert additional text
into the document, comprising:

a range object in which a range within the document is specified as two positions

24

within the abstraction of the document, such that the handler inserts the additional text
into the document and accesses the abstraction of the document at the range specified by
the range object;

a first method by which insertion is accomplished;

a second method by which access is accomplished; and,

a third method by which the handler is able to attach a property to the document at
the range specified by the range object.

21. The medium of claim 20, wherein the framework further comprises a text store
interface to permit the application having the document of primarily text to expose the
document as the abstraction.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the text store interface comprises:

a text stream interface in which the abstraction of the document appears as an array,
a position within the document represented as an offset from a beginning of the array;
and,

a dynamic text interface in which the abstraction of the document is such that a
position within the document represented as a floating anchor to a node,

such that the application selects at least one of the text stream interface and the
dynamic text interface by which to expose the document as the abstraction.

25

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A common text framework for application programs having documents of
primarily text and input devices for entering and editing text of such documents is
disclosed. The framework provides for the interaction of applications and handlers for
input devices, and includes a text store interface and a text input processor interface. The
former interface permits an application having a document of primarily text to expose the
document as an abstraction. The latter interface permits a handler for an input device to
access the abstraction of the document and to insert additional text into the document.

I hereby certify that this is being deposited with the United States
Postal Service "Express Mail Post Office to addressee" service
under 37 CFR § 1 .10 in an envelope addressed to The Assistant
Commissioner for Patents, Washington, DC 20231, on Apr 25,
2000 , by Michael Drvia , and having "express mail" mailing label no.
EJ243665051US /-N

Signature of MichaWDrvia

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DECLARATION AND POWER OF ATT
FOR PATENT APPLICATION

PATENT APPLICATION

ATTOj

OCKET NO. 1018.097US1

As a below named inventor, I hereby declare that:

My residence/post office address and citizenship are as stated below next to my name;

I believe I am the original, first and sole inventor (if only one name is listed below) or an original, first and joint inventor (if plural names
are listed below) of the subject matter which is claimed and for which a patent is sought on the invention entitled:
Common Text Framework

the specification of which is attached hereto unless the following box is checked:

( ) was filed on as US Application Serial No. or PCT International Application

Number and was amended on (if applicable).

I hereby state that I have reviewed and understood the contents of the above-identified specification, including the claims, as amended by
any amendment(s) referred to above, I acknowledge the duty to disclose all information which is material to patentability as defined in
37CFR1.56.

Foreign Application^) and/or Claim of Foreign Priority

I. hereby claim foreign priority benefits under Title 35, United States Code Section 119 of any foreign application(s) for patent or inventor(s) certificate listed below and

COUNTRY

APPLICATION NUMBER

DATE FILED

PRIORITY CLAIMED UNDER 35 U S C 119

YES. NO:

o

YES: NO:

onal Application

y claim the benefit under Title 35, United States Code Section 119(e) of any United States provisional apphcation(s) listed below

W.

k

APPLICATION SERIAL NUMBER

FILING DATE

riority Claim

jy claim the benefit under Title 35, United States Code, Section 120 of any United States apphcation(s) listed below and, insofar as the subject matter of each of the
; of this application is not disclosed m the prior United States application m the manner provided by the first paragraph of Title 35, United States Code Section 112,
owledge the duty to disclose material information as defined m Title 37, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1.56(a) which occurred between the filing date of the
application and the national or PCT international filing date of this application.

fit APPLICATION SERIAL NUMBER

FILING DATE

STATUS(patented/pendmg/abandoned)

■h * 1

: ^ 'ER OF ATTORNEY:

V: a named inventor, I hereby appoint the following attorney(s) and/or agent(s) listed below to prosecute this application and transact all business in the Patent and
smark Office connected therewith

Michael A. Dryja, Reg. No. 39662 Katie E. Sako, Reg. No. 32628

Daniel D. Crouse, Reg. No. 32022

Send Correspondence to:

Direct Telephone Calls To:

Michael A. Dryja

Michael A. Dryja

Law Offices of Michael Dryja

425-427-5094

704 228th Avenue NE

PMB 694

Redmond, WA 980S3

I hereby declare that all statements made herein of my own knowledge are true and that all statements made on information and belief are believed to be true; and further
that these statements were made with the knowledge that willful false statements and the like so made are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under Section
1001 of Title 18 of the United States Code and that such willful false statements may jeopardize the validity of the application or any patent issued thereon.

Full Name of Inventor: Kevin B. Gjerstad
Residence: 2114 North 75th, Seattle. WA 98103 US
Post Office Address: Same

Citizenship: US

Inventor's Signature

Date

Page 1 of 2

DECLARATION AND POWER OF ATT<
FOR PATENT APPLICATION (continue

RNEY DOCKET NO. 1018.097US1

Full Name of Inventor: Yutaka Nakaiima

Residence: 14013 180th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052 US

Post Office Address: Same

Citizenship: Japanese

Inventor's Signature

Date

Full Name of Inventor: Yutaka Suzue

Residence: 3845 260th Ave SE, Issaquah, WA 98029 US

Post Office Address: Same

Citizenship: Japanese

Inventor's Signature

Date

me of Inventor: Benjamin M. Westbrook

ice: 4631 148 Ave NE #00202, Bellevue, WA 98007 USA

Yke Address: Same

Citizenship: US

jr's Signature

Date

Inlfl certify * at this is being deposited with the United States

under 3^ TflF ^ P °f 0ffice to addre ^" servS
under 37 CFR § 1.10 m an envelope addressed to The Assistant

gg^l^garyja, and having "express mail* mailing no.

Signature of Michael Dryj a

Page 2 of 2